Macbeth in the beginning was a blameless character. He would not have even thought about becoming king if the Weird Sisters did not come to him. It was hard for him to believe that he was Thane of Cawdor, and they said he is going to become king. As Steevens put it: Macbeth deceived by the illusions of witchcraft was a religious, temperate, and blameless character (Steevens 464). This quote means that Macbeth was a blameless character, but he was deceived by the Weird Sisters whom made him a murderer.
It is believed that if it were not for the witches Macbeth would not even think of becoming Thane of Cawdor, and even more king. This shows how the thesis is accurate, showing how the witches shaped the play by influencing Macbeth. Bradley believes that the witch s apparitions were apparitions alone, and that they were not the only influence on Macbeth, but instead they were more of a spark. (Bradley 368) This shows that the witches were not the only influence, but they started everything. How this happened was that after Macbeth found out, he told his wife, Lady Macbeth, through a letter about the apparitions. When Lady Macbeth found out, she right away started supporting her husband. Brooks supports this by stating Tempted by the Weird Sisters and urged on by his wife, Macbeth is caught between the rational and irrational (Brooks 31). This quote states that Macbeth was tempted by the witches and urged on by his wife, and during all this he felt surrounded not knowing what to do. Schlegel also supports the theory that Macbeth needed support to kill Duncan: Natural motives alone seem inadequate (Schlegel 408). The third influence was from Macbeth himself. Although his support is not that strong, the truth is he could not really be made to kill Duncan, unless he had something to accomplish too. What he had to accomplish was a much higher social status. That is why Schlegel states that He has, therefore, given a thriefold division to the guilt of that crime (Schlegel 403). Schlegel is referring to Shakespeare, and he is stating that Shakespeare when writing the play, had in mind three guilty characters: Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, and the witches.
During the time Macbeth was on the throne, his mind kept coming back to the witches. This shows how much they influenced him so much that he could not stop thinking about them. During this time in the play he became a complete monster, trying to kill anyone who might be a threat.
Toward the end of the play, he became scared that someone will try to take everything away. Therefore, he went to the witches and received his last apparitions. The first apparition was: Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! (Shakespeare IV.i.81). This apparition scared Macbeth just slightly. Just to make sure the apparition will not come true, he decides that he will kill him later.
The second and third apparitions did not scare him at all. The second apparition: Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth (Shakespeare IV.i.90-93). The third apparition: Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood of High Dunsinane Hill shall come against him (Shakespeare IV.i.103-107). These two apparitions do not scare Macbeth. For who is not woman-born, or how can a forest of trees walk? He even states this out loud: That will never be. Who can impress the forest, bid the tree unfix his earthbound root? Sweet bodements, good! Rebellious dead, rise never till the wood of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth shall live till the lease of nature, pay his breath to time and mortal custom (Shakespeare IV.i.108-114). You can tell from this quote, that Macbeth is not scared. He is almost mocking the witches. How can they tell him, that forests will walk and that people are not born through their mothers?
Watson believes that the prophesies sent him into self-destruction, by making him think he was self-preserving himself (Watson 20). He also believes that the prophecy that confronted him was an Oedipal prophecy- a warning about filial rebellion and the castration that avenges it (Watson 20). His statement explains everything: prophecy that confronts Macbeth is an Oedipal prophecy Such a riddle tempts man toward the fatal violation it describes, sends him in pursuit of self-destruction through a desperate and deluded attempt at self-preservation (Watson 20). Another author, Wills Gary, believes that Hecate is leading Macbeth into a false sense of security, which will later be his worst enemy (Wills 47).
T.W. thinks that the prophecy that Macbeth will not be killed by anyone of woman born and until the forest walk make Macbeth feel invincible which is a good thing in his opinion since it makes a shocking ending (T.W. 290). His statement states this exactly: The prophecy of the witches, That none of woman born should be able to hurt Macbeth, and that he need fear nothing till Birnam wood should come to Dunsinane, have when fulfilled in a sense different from what the words seemed to import, an excellent effect in reading the fall of the bloody tyrant dreadful and shocking (T.W. 290).
As you have seen, the witches influenced Macbeth, and in doing so shaped the play. If they had not told him that he would become king, he would not even imagine that. But since they did tell him, he received new ambition and greed to finally kill the king and become king himself. After he was firmly on the throne, he began to get scared that someone was after him and the throne. He went to the witches and received influence again. He received three apparitions, but of two types: one that stated that he was going to be killed by Macduff, and two that stated that he should not be scared, because he is going to be killed by someone that is not woman born, and before that happens a forest of trees has to walk.
In essence, Macbeth was influenced by the witches. It is not sure if they knew how to read someone s mind, but they at least made educated guesses. They caused him to murder Duncan and become king. When Macbeth was on the throne, he became scared that someone is trying to put him down. That is when Macbeth went to the witches again. There he received the other apparitions, which made him feel invincible. This false security finally destroyed him. This shows how the witches influence on Macbeth shaped the play.
